[Elecraft] 136 kHz band

[Steve Jackson]

Here's hoping that Elecraft makes a kit transverter for the 136 kHz band.

It should be packaged in the EC2 case, and have an AuxBus loop-through for
control,
and two DC power mechanisms:  one, a pair of the existing DC coaxial jacks,
so that
the DC can loop to the K2 exciter, using a male-male coaxial plug cable.

There should also be an optional power amplifier deck, similar to the new
100W amp
for the K2.

Extensive noise filtering will be in order.  This is best done digitally,
today, so I don't
know how long Elecraft will be able to keep making kits with no SMD parts
... I suspect
this is going to happen eventually.  I don't mind building with SMD but I
don't know how
well that will sell to other hams (beyond a relatively small core group,
many of whom I
bet are on this reflector!).

I am guessing the new band will have an ERP limitation, probably on the
order of 5W
or so, rather than a transmitter power limit.  With an antenna efficiency of
5%, you can
start with a 10W exciter and go to 100W or so with the amp.

Since no bandswitching is needed, all this should be an easy layout and
relatively low
in cost.  The transverter code is already in the K2 firmware; well, mostly.
Figure a
base cost of $199 plus the optional noise filtering option ($59) and the amp
($149).